Comments

“The fund is an inspirational example of positive action flowing
from the most tragic events.”

“Local charity group (CBMF) makes a difference - City Success bucks the trend of death.”

Telegraph & Argus Newspaper

“Your work is brilliant and an inspiration to others.”

HRH Prince Andrew on presenting the Duke of York’s
Award

“I have a great deal of sympathy with the objectives of the
fund…I sincerely wish them every success in their extremely important
work.”

Ann Cryer, MP

“Thank you for the work that your organisation put into pressing
for this legislation to be introduced…Your views were an integral
part of the long consultation process and were instrumental in ensuring
that the age limit was set at 18 as opposed to 16.”

Gerry Sutcliffe, MP

“This excellent initiative has our full support.”

Re-Solv, National Organisation to prevent Solvent Abuse.

“The work that the Fund does within Bradford and District
schools is highly commendable. I have recently been involved with ‘Peer
Education’ training in conjunction with Education Bradford and CBMF.
Their approach to educating young people about the dangers of Solvent
Abuse is both relevant and effective. I am pleased to give my voice of
support to the outstanding efforts of CBMF within the local community.”

Ian Walmsley, Police Schools Liason Officer

media

'Solvent abuse deaths double in Yorkshire'

Deaths from solvent abuse, which kill at least one young person a week,
are rising faster in Yorkshire than anywhere else in the country. The
number of young people who died from solvent abuse in this region doubled
from five to ten during 2001, the latest period for which figures are
available. That year, 63 youngsters under 18 died nationwide after sniffing
solvents. Yorkshire’s rise means the region now accounts for 17
per cent of the total number of deaths from solvent abuse in the UK during
2001. In some areas, such as the North West, solvent abuse deaths are
actually falling.

Pat Bleau, whose 16-year-old daughter, Chantelle, died in 1997, said
more needed to be done to educate children about the dangers of solvent
abuse. “Kids are experimenting and it is killing them. It’s
quite staggering,” she said. The Chantelle Bleau Memorial was set
up five years ago to warn children to stay away from a form of substance
abuse which can kill first time, Mrs Bleau believes that the key to saving
lives is education. “There hasn’t been a death in Bradford
since Chantelle, and that’s because we are out there warning them
of the dangers, but Yorkshire in general has got a problem,” she
said.

What kids need to know is that it’s like Russian Roulette –
most of them won’t die, but one of them will. That is the risk you
take every time you do it,” she said.

Mrs Bleau, was instrumental in getting the age limit raised for teenagers
buying butane gas from 16 to 18, said she thought the nozzles on aerosols
should be changed to stop abuse.

Excerpt taken from article printed in the YORKSHIRE POST,
21st
July 2003

'City success bucks the trend of death'

Yorkshire has suffered a 100 per cent increase in deaths from sniffing
aerosols and gases – more than any other UK area – but none
of these happened in Bradford. A national charity warned today that deaths
from sniffing volatile substances in the region shot up from five to ten
over a year. But a local Bradford charity believes no city deaths have
occurred since it was formed after a 16-year-old girl died six years ago.
Figures from 2001, the last year available, show that on average, more
than one young person dies each week in the UK from sniffing – 63
in the year. Sniffing volatile substances is more deadly than the recreational
drug ecstasy. Inhaling butane cigarette lighter refills accounts for about
64 per cent of these deaths in children under the age of 18.

In 1997 Chantelle Bleau, a pupil at Dixons City Technology College, Bradford,
died after she sniffed lighter fuel. Her family and her church, set up
the Chantelle Bleau Memorial Fund to try and prevent needless deaths by
working with children in schools. Chantelle’s mother Pat Bleau today
blamed the rise in deaths on ignorance. “We go round all the schools
in Bradford and bring the story of Chantelle home,” she said. “There
have been no deaths from sniffing in Bradford since then. “In the
drugs curriculum in schools, sniffing is often not even mentioned.”

Excerpt taken from article printed in the Telegraph & Argus,
21st July 2003